Severing Ties: The Sect Regrets My Departure Chapter 14

"In the end, the injury to my soul is still too severe."

Somewhere else, inside a cave hidden deep within the forest, Gu Xiu murmured to himself. His face was pale, and his appearance was wretched; his robes were soaked in cold sweat, and his aura was extremely weak.

He had just endured another bout of torment—the agony of a Soul Dao injury.

Five hundred years of battling in the forbidden lands had left Gu Xiu’s soul with a Dao injury that was incredibly difficult to heal. In the three years since his return, Gu Xiu would occasionally suffer from flare-ups. Each time, he had to grit his teeth and endure the excruciating pain.

Although the nameless ancient text had transformed into a butterfly and healed his physical wounds, it had only repaired his flesh and blood. The Soul Dao injury remained untouched.

Moments ago, while traversing the forest, the injury had suddenly flared up again. He had been forced to hurriedly find a cave to hide in and ride out the pain.

Now that the agony had subsided, Gu Xiu still felt a lingering apprehension.

"It is fortunate I left the sect. In all this time, it has only flared up twice. Unlike back on Zhuofeng Peak, where it happened every three to five days."

"My little Junior Brother is truly formidable..."

Gu Xiu’s Soul Dao injury was difficult to cure, but if he was careful, it shouldn't have flared up so frequently. All of that was because Jiang Xun had tampered with Gu Xiu's living quarters.

This grudge, Gu Xiu had not forgotten.

Collecting his thoughts, Gu Xiu changed into a fresh set of clothes. "I still need to reach Yunxiao City as soon as possible to obtain that opportunity."

He set off again.

By now, five days had passed since Gu Xiu had first encountered Ye Hongling. During these five days, Gu Xiu had traveled along the edge of the forest area. At his current speed, if he pushed a bit harder, he should reach Yunxiao City in just over a month.

However, after walking for another half day, Gu Xiu suddenly frowned.

Ahead of him lay a scene of devastation.

Numerous trees and bushes had been destroyed, and even the boulders bore signs of heavy damage. Faint fluctuations of spiritual energy still lingered in the air. On the ground, there were messy trails of blood and chaotic footprints.

"It seems someone with exceptionally high cultivation was ambushed by multiple assailants who likely used poison. It appears the skilled individual managed to escape."

Based on the traces at the scene, Gu Xiu quickly made his deduction.

Encounters between cultivators were absolutely bad news for a lone cultivator like him.

After a brief consideration, Gu Xiu decided to change his route. He chose a more circuitous path that should allow him to bypass the danger.

The cultivation world never lacked peril. As a lone cultivator, one had to possess the self-awareness of a lone wolf; meddling in the affairs of others would only bring harm upon oneself. Forcing oneself to step forward without sufficient strength usually resulted in becoming nothing more than a handful of dust.

However... sometimes, even when you want to avoid trouble, trouble follows you like a shadow.

Not long after he started walking again, the breeze carried a faint scent of blood.

Gu Xiu frowned slightly. Just as he was about to change direction again, he heard a somewhat familiar voice call out.

"Wait! Please help me!"

Gu Xiu turned his head and saw Ye Hongling, the female War Goddess from Tiance Mansion whom he had met just days before. She was covered in blood, hiding within a thicket of shrubbery.

Having not seen her for several days, Ye Hongling's condition was clearly critical. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, her face was as pale as paper, and her internal energy was extremely chaotic.

Seeing Gu Xiu look over, Ye Hongling spoke urgently, "You noticed me, Fellow Daoist. Could I ask for your assistance?"

"No."

Gu Xiu shook his head.

Ye Hongling was taken aback for a moment. "Why?"

"I am just an ordinary lone cultivator. I don't know you, and I don't wish to know you. I have no desire to invite unforeseen disaster," Gu Xiu answered straightforwardly.

Ye Hongling was stunned. She didn't know how to argue against such logic and could only let out a bitter laugh. "Since you are a lone cultivator, you must lack resources, correct? If you help me, I can pay you. Is that acceptable?"

Gu Xiu thought for a moment, then shook his head again. "No."

"Why?"

"Your strength far surpasses mine. If you are in trouble you cannot resolve yourself, then any attempt by me would be overestimating my capabilities."

After speaking these words firmly, he turned away without hesitation or a second thought.

Watching him leave, Ye Hongling pursed her lips tightly. Ultimately, she could only watch helplessly as his figure retreated. She felt disappointed, yet she understood his reasoning. Given his low cultivation level, it made sense that he wanted to avoid trouble.

But still...

Just as despair began to settle deep within her heart, she saw that same white-haired figure return.

Ignoring the hopeful look she shot him, he asked directly, "What benefits will you give me?"

"Eight hundred spirit stones, plus some pills!"

"Not enough. The risk is too high. Is your life worth only that much?"

"I... I only have this many spirit stones on me..." Ye Hongling felt awkward admitting this, quickly adding an explanation to convince him. "Besides, I only need someone to guard me while I expel the poison. I just need protection during the process itself. It’s a simple request."

Seeing the expectant gaze directed at him, Gu Xiu finally nodded, albeit reluctantly. "...Fine. Eight hundred spirit stones. Give them now."

"...You..."

Ye Hongling stared blankly at him, momentarily processing the unexpected turn of events.

Upon their first meeting, this white-haired loner gave the impression of being quite special, possessing an ethereal, otherworldly air reminiscent of a legendary recluse. She never imagined... he was actually like this?

Putting her thoughts aside, she quickly retrieved a storage ring and tossed it to him. "All my spirit stones are inside!"

Gu Xiu caught the ring and scanned the contents with his consciousness. Confirming there were indeed eight hundred spirit stones along with two bottles of basic Qi-replenishing pills, he pocketed it.

Seeing the serious expression on his face, Ye Hongling couldn't help feeling a bit sour. "Weren't you trying to avoid trouble earlier? Why the sudden change of mind?"

"Because I am already involved now."

Gu Xiu shook his head calmly, stating the fact. "Those chasing you have caught up."

Ye Hongling: "???"

Gu Xiu clarified, "Either we fight our way out, or we continue forward. But we will definitely leave traces. Either way, I cannot shake off this trouble completely. No matter what choice is made here, I am essentially stuck in the situation."

Ye Hongling: "!!!"

So... it wasn't a sudden burst of kindness, but simply the realization that he couldn't extricate himself?

Wait! She suddenly realized something else. "Then why still take my spirit stones?"

"...No reason to waste an opportunity. Since trouble is unavoidable anyway, I might as well earn something while I can, right?"

He answered with brutal honesty, not attempting to conceal the truth at all. Hearing it spoken so bluntly made her feel somewhat hurt.

This guy... he’s essentially taking advantage of the fire to loot, plucking feathers from a passing goose, isn't he?

While she was thinking this, Gu Xiu was already standing before her. "...Can you walk? If yes, then follow quickly. No time to waste."

"...Yes."

Putting aside her annoyance, Ye Hongling focused on the pressing matter at hand. She followed closely behind him, and they began to move through the forest together.

However, the journey was confusing.

The next leg of their escape seemed like aimless wandering. They moved through the woods without any clear direction. Despite sensing no presence of others around, Gu Xiu would stop at certain points or change direction abruptly in a seemingly random pattern.

They spent nearly two hours circling the area.

Ye Hongling completely lost track of their location. Eventually, she broke the silence, her tone puzzled. "...What exactly are you doing?"

Gu Xiu didn't even glance to the side. He kept a vigilant watch on their surroundings, continuing to lead the way cautiously. "Those chasing us are getting closer. We must be careful to avoid detection as best as possible."

This...

It was still unclear to her how he was detecting the presence of others without any visible signs or spiritual energy fluctuations nearby. It was a strange ability. This mysterious figure was truly enigmatic. Perhaps these were the hidden depths of a lone cultivator—skills unknown to those living within the shelter of sects.

Naturally, she wouldn't know the truth.

Although Gu Xiu was similarly unable to sense the presence of others directly through cultivation, he possessed his own methods for detecting danger. His greatest asset was his natural affinity with the 'Heaven and Earth Dao Rhythms,' gained after comprehending the Heavenly Book Talisman.

He primarily used talisman arts, but through the Heavenly Book Talisman, he could detect areas of potential danger to a certain extent. This was likely the reason he had traveled safely for five days in the forest without incident earlier. He had failed to notice Ye Hongling only because she employed special concealment techniques and because he had been focusing primarily on larger threats.

He led the way until midnight.

Finally, he stopped and announced grimly, "...We are surrounded. Unless we break through and fight our way out, we cannot escape."